A group of 25 municipal officials and educators from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in the Western Cape attended the first Water Governance for Water Leaders learning program at Stellenbosch University (​SU).

The program, presented by the SUWI ​in partnership with its School of Public Leadership (SPL), was developed specifically for municipal councilors and officials by the SPL's Prof. Erwin Schwella in collaboration with several experts in the water sector. The project is based on an Energy Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA) initiative to develop capacity of TVET colleges in training delivery related to water treatment.

Prof. Schwella says the course connects the fields of lea​dership development, practices in water governance and leadership innovation in public water utilities and institutions by way of comparative and relevant case studies.

The course, which is registered with SU and holds nine credits on level eight of the National Qualifications Framework, took place from 6 to 10 February 2017.

Municipal officials from Hessequa, George, Knysna, Swellendam and the City of Cape Town attended, as well as educators and officials from Boland College, South Cape College, Northlink College and representatives from various non-governmental organizations and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the water sector. A representative of the policy and regulation division of the Department of Water and Sanitation attended as an observer.

During the course, participants had to complete a class-based group project and an examination at the end of the program. Participants also have to submit an individual assignment by the end of February, after which the successful candidates will receive a Certificate of Competence. ​

During this week, they were also addressed by a panel of experts in the water industry. They were Dr. Thokozani Kanyerere, senior lecturer in hydrology at the Institute for Water Studies at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Prof. Jaqui Goldin, extra-ordinary professor of anthropology and water sciences at UWC, Ms. B.D. Hene, director: policy and regulation in the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and Mr. George Tsibane, consultant and former chief director in the DWS.

The next course will take place between the 31st July and 4th August 2017 at Buffalo City TVET College in the Eastern Cape. The course participants include academic staff from TVET colleges Buffalo City, Lovedale, East Cape Midlands, Umfolozi (Kwazulu Natal), and senior officials from Amatola Water Board, Buffalo City Municipality, Nelson Mandela Metro, and the Department of Water and Sanitation (Eastern Cape).